[Jesse88]

Hi everybody. Forgive me if I have asked this question before, but my rash problems are getting worse and I'm still looking for answers and there may be some new people on here who are experiencing the same thing.

About a year ago I started getting a red, itchy rash that would pop up anytime and anywhere I was exposed to cold temperatures, either by water or air. The doctors just aren't sure what's causing it (though one called it autoimmune urticaria) and I'd really like to pin it down because it's happening with more frequency as time goes on. I don't turn red, white and blue like with Raynaud's, just red and itchy and it goes away about 20 minutes after the skin warms up. Does anyone else have this? Have you been told what the cause is? Thanks for any input you can offer.

 

[Lily]

Hi Jesse,

Sorry I can't give any real insight, but from what I've read it is entirely possible it is some type of urticaria triggered by the change in temperature.

love
Lily

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Jesse

I don't suffer from this either, but there seem to be numerous possible causes including secondary to connective tisssue diseases like SLE & Sjogren's, 'secondary' meaning 'along with'), some blood conditions like cryoglobulinemia that some people with lupus have, as well as thyroid, menopause, several viral diseases and interestingly, urticarial vasculitis.

http://dermnetnz.org/reactions/cold-urticaria.html

I hope you can find some relief from it.

All the best
Clare

 

[Jesse88]

Thanks for your replies. The more I read the more I believe it's cold urticaria but I guess I should see an allergist, since it's getting worse. Apparently it's pretty rare (lucky me) and can be life-threatening if exposed over large parts of the body, like from swimming. Ugh. I just don't need this. :sad:

 

[Jmaca]

Hi Jesse, I had it for 5 or 6 years, but I just realized that I haven't experienced it at all this year! If I went out into the cold, my thighs and upper arms (both upper limbs - interesting) would break out all over in a raised, red rash that itched a lot. As you say, it would take 20 minutes to a half hour of being inside the house before it would go completely away. The same thing happened every time I showered.

My doctor didn't think it was much of anything. She said it happens to some people, and that it's not necessarily related to autoimmunities. I didn't know menopause could be a trigger till I read Clare's post. I'm willing to bet that was causing mine since I seem to be through menopause this year and it hasn't happened.

 

[Jesse88]

Thanks JMACA. I've just been reading up on cold urticaria and I did the ice cube test which was positive so I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I also read that 50% of people stop having problems after about 5 years, just like you. I'm also menopausal, so maybe that was the trigger, not the lupus and it was just a coincidence. I've made an appointment with an allergist/immunologist who I'm hoping can give me some insight into this new challenge, but I'm very encouraged that you no longer have symptoms. Hope I'm as lucky! Oh, and I just learned that it's the inherited kind that's rare, not the acquired kind, which is common. I don't know why, but that makes me feel better.